Flourish and Botts
by Nerdotterette
Summary: Draco was supposed to get the books he needed for his second year at Hogwarts in Flourish and Botts. But as he stood there waiting for his father to come, a red-haired girl accidentally happen to catch his eyes.
1. Flourish and Botts

The sky was clear and cloudless on the day Draco Malfoy entered Flourish and Botts to get his textbooks for his second year at Hogwarts. But things were quite the opposite inside. The little shop was crammed with a diversity of people, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of Gilderoy Lockhart, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. Draco, leaning against the banister on the second floor, looked down upon all the silly women and rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

He concluded that the only way he was going to get his books was to wait for his father to come in and shoo the crowd away, so he just stood there and stared at the sea of grown-ups beneath him. He suddenly caught a glimpse of a girl with fiery red hair. He leaned closer to the edge of the banister to get a clearer view of the girl. If it wasn't for her vibrant hair, he didn't think he would catch her in the crowd. She was just a few inches shorter than he was, and she was wearing color-faded clothes. The girl suddenly whipped her head in his direction and her clear green eyes stared into his. Shocked and embarrassed at being caught staring, Draco quickly pretended he was brushing away specks of dust from his dark suit and turned his back to prevent anyone from seeing his cheeks, as they turn a shade brighter than the girl's hair.

He cleared his throat, and looked towards Gilderoy Lockhart who was now taking pictures with none other than Harry Potter. Draco wanted to make a remark saying he would look better in a picture than Harry, but his mind kept wandering to the girl with sharp green eyes. He felt as though those eyes could have pierced right through him. Draco shook his head, regained himself and strode slowly down the stairs.

Just as he got to the bottom of the stairs, he accidently bumped into Harry. "Watch it Potter, I don't want your filth to smear on my suit," he growled.

"Leave. Him. Alone," a threatening voice suddenly said from his right side. Draco followed the voice and found himself staring at the red-haired girl he had seen before. Something inside of him flipped at the sight of her standing right beside him. So close. His mind started to fill with anguish thoughts.

_Exactly how does this girl know Potter? Oh wait, everybody, of course. Pfft. Well why is she defending him as if she's-_

"Your new girlfriend, Potter?" were the words that slipped out of his mouth before he could even form them in his mind. If Harry had paid enough attention, he would notice that Draco had a quiver in his voice as he said it. Draco wanted to slap his forehead, but he remained calm and waited for the result. He was beginning to get confused on why he even cared to know at all.

"Mind your own beeswax, you neat-freak," said the girl with red hair as her cheeks turned crimson red. Draco thought she looked like an adorable little ball of fury.

"Neat-fre-," he began, but was abruptly cut off by Harry.

"Ignore him Ginny, he's not even worth a troll's time," Harry said.

Ginny, was the only word that registered in Draco's mind. But soon after that he suddenly felt confused by his feelings. Before he could figure it out, Ron suddenly appeared beside Ginny out of nowhere, with Hermione and her bushy hair right behind him.

"Come on Ginny, mom told us to hang out at Florean Fortescue's and get some ice-cream while she gets the textbooks autographed," Draco saw the words form on Ron's lips. He was getting more and more confused. _Mom? So this Ginny girl is a Weasley?_ He thought in disgust. It became clearer to him now, the faded material of her clothing, her bright red hair flowing on her shoulders. Even Crabbe and Goyle could see she's a Weasley, and that was saying something.

"Starting school this year, huh? Well hope you end up in Slytherin!" Draco suddenly said. I really need to start thinking before I just let words slip my mouth, he thought, as he mentally punches his own stomach.

"And hang out with all of you stuck-up kids? Thanks, but I think I'll pass," Ginny replied, "Let's go Ron."

As she walked away from him, Draco suddenly grabbed her wrist and her green eyes slipped into his again. He felt as though he wanted that moment to stay a bit longer. But she suddenly twisted her wrist, and was freed from his grasp. "Don't ever touch me again neat-freak, or you'll lose a toe before you get to figure out what to do with them tomorrow morning. And I don't want your cleanliness to creep up on me," she growled. He only saw a huge mass of bushy brown hair before he felt a sharp slap on his cheeks and blacked out.


	2. Sorting Ceremony

"Weasley, Ginevra!" Professor Mcgonagall called out to the pool of first years standing in front of her. Ginny paused for a moment, took a deep breath and walked towards the sorting hat. She sat on the stool with her back straight and head held high. She looked as though she was very calm from the outside, when in fact her mind was wandering elsewhere.

_What if I'm not in Gryffindor? What if I end up in Hufflepuff? Or worse - Slytherin? _She thought, _No mom told me I should remain as calm as-_

"GRYFFINDOR!" the sorting hat shouted when Professor Mcgonagall placed it on Ginny's head.

The crowd at the Gryffindor table went wild. Some of them cheered and some even gave her a welcoming whistle. For a moment, Ginny felt as though her feet were rooted to the wooden floor. But then she stood, gave Professor Mcgonagall a surprise by hugging her and ran straight towards Hermione who was waving wildly at her.

Ginny first met Hermione when she followed Ron to Flourish and Botts to buy her books. Ever since she saw Hermione slap Draco in the face, Ginny knew they were going to be very good friends.

* * *

><p>He wasn't actually concentrating on the Sorting Ceremony too much, but when Ginny's name was called out by Professor Mcgonagall, Draco could not help but to look towards the platform where the ceremony was held. He watched as the girl with red hair took her seat on the stool and continued to watch as Professor Mcgonagall place the head over her head. <em>Let her be in Slytherin<em>, he thought, _Slytherin, Slytherin Slytherin…_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

_What was he thinking anyway? Her whole family were practically born a Gryffindor. Just like his were born to be a Slytherin. At least that was what his father told him every time he came back home from work. But then_, Draco thought, _why did he even cared at all?_

Draco shook his thoughts away and finally tore his eyes away from Ginevra Weasley.

* * *

><p>When the Sorting Ceremony ended with "Zethro, Gate" sorted in Ravenclaw, everyone clapped as Albus Dumbledore stood. He gave the students a few minutes to settle down before starting his speech, "I would like to give a big 'Welcome' to all the first years and also a 'Welcome Back' to those who have returned back safely to Hogwarts. I am sure you are all famished after the long journey. Now allow me to cut this short and say, LEMON-POPSICLES! Please, do enjoy."<p>

Ginny's eyeballs nearly popped out of her sockets when she saw the food in front of her. All the empty plates and goblets were filled with delicious food. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, salads, meat pies, Chicken Cornish, various types of sandwiches, and even food that she had never heard of before. She felt her tummy give a tiny growl as she stared at the beautiful cuisine. Ginny helped herself to a drumstick, some soft boiled carrots and sweet corn. It took her a few minutes to realize that Harry and Ron were still missing.

"Hermione?" she said.

"M'hmm?" Hermione replied without looking up. She had her nose buried behind a book and was holding a fork on her right hand.

"Not sure if you have noticed this," Ginny started, "But don't you think it's odd that Ron and Harry aren't here? You said they might be in a different compartment on the train and that we would find them here."

"I've noticed their absence ever since I first stepped foot in the hall, Ginny," Hermione replied casually. She lowered her voice and added, "And I saw them right after Professor Dumbledore declared dinner. To think they weren't even in their school robes! Oh, the points they'll lose for Gryffindor. And dessert hasn't arrived yet!"

When she saw the confused look on Ginny's face, she quickly explained, "See those bright windows over there? The ones behind the teacher's high table – yes, over there – I saw them peeking in at the corner over there from the outside. Shocked me for a moment, they did. But anyways, we'll probably meet them in the common room later."

"I suppose so," Ginny said, "But I still can't believe they missed my being sorted."

After dinner was over, the students of Hogwarts started to fill their half-filled tummy with various desserts that appear after. There were lemon pies, chocolate puddings, and fruit tarts, strawberries with cream, ice creams, trifles and cakes. Ginny chose one of the tall glasses of beautiful looking Eton Mess that was placed on a silver tray.

* * *

><p>Draco watched as Crabbe and Goyle stuffed their face with chocolate cakes and sweet whipped cream. He even saw chocolate sauce drooling down Crabbe's neck. Draco shivered in disgust. He wasn't really sure on how he had become friends with both of them in the first place. "Nothing sweet for you, <em>Drakey<em>?" Pansy Parkinson suddenly asked. She was sitting on the bench opposite of Draco and did not realize that he was constantly looking towards the Gryffindor table.

Even though he hated being given nicknames, he merely smiled at her, grabbed a piece of the same dessert that he noticed Ginny was eating and put it onto his empty silver plate.

* * *

><p>Ginny took a sauce boat containing caramel and poured it on top of the strawberries in her glass of Eton Mess. She was about to have a taste of it when she had a feeling that she was being watched. She looked up and was suddenly aware that Draco Malfoy was looking at her from the Slytherin's table. He got momentarily surprised at Ginny's sudden gesture before giving her a mischievous smirk. Pansy, who unfortunately witnessed his sudden change of expression, quickly turned her head towards the Gryffindor's table and looked around for the person he was interacting with.<p>

"Don't look now Hermione, but I have a feeling someone is looking for us from the Slytherin's table," Ginny said, before eating another spoon of her dessert.

Hermione looked up and found herself looking at Pansy Parkinson, a deceitful person who makes it her life's ambition to torment Hermione's life in school. "You don't mean Pansy Parkinson, do you?" she replied, but then something came up in Hermione's mind, "Come to think of it, will you do me a favour, Ginny?"

"Sure, anything. What is it, Hermione?"

"Just put your wand on the table and just make sure it's not visible,"

"Hermione, you're not really asking me to hex a person, are you?" Ginny said. She tried to keep a straight and serious face, but she couldn't help but feeling a bit excited, "Ron always told me you were practically a walking rule book."

"First of all, there's a reason why I'm asking you to do it, Ginny. And second, Ronald Weasley tells you things about me?" Hermione asked as she felt her blood rushing up her cheeks.

"Yup, and Harry as well, of course. But only if I threaten to flush old Scabbers down the toilet."

"Oh right, of course. Well anyways, just point the wand towards Pansy and say Densaugeo. Densaugeo, Ginny, Densaugeo. Got it?"

"But what does it –,"

"Come on, Ginny!" Hermione insisted.

"All right, all right," Ginny said as she did what her bushy haired friend wanted her to do. She pointed her wand towards Pansy in a manner so that it wouldn't be seen and pretended as though she was eating her Eton Mess. Right after that, she murmured "Densaugeo," under her breath and closed her eyes. All of a sudden Hermione was snickering behind the book she was reading, and Ginny opened her eyes. Curious to know what had happened, Ginny looked towards Pansy Parkinson.

Sitting at the Slytherin's table, panic-stricken and both hand clamped to her mouth was Pansy. Ginny was still confused, up until Pansy removed her hands to reveal the enlarged sets of teeth behind it. Ginny quickly looked away and hid her wand inside her sleeves before anyone realized she was the culprit. She looked at Hermione in amazement and said, "I cannot believe you told me to that! What if we get caught? Do you think she realized it was me?"

"Don't worry, Ginny," said Hermione, who was still trying to hide her laughter. "I made sure no one was looking, and fortunately, everyone was really into their desserts. As for Pansy, I doubt she noticed you. Besides, trust me when I say she deserves it."

* * *

><p>"Pansy?" Draco asked when he saw Pansy behind her back and suddenly bending forward. He even surprised himself for sounding more concerned than he intended to be. But when Pansy turned to face Draco, he immediately understood what had happened. Instead of offering to send Pansy to the Hospital Wing, Draco merely smiled and continued to finish his Eton Mess. Impressed, he very much was.<p> 


End file.
